Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

Radios from Polk's hobbies[:-]
Are these any good? Does anyone have experience with them?
The price seems nice but, are they inexpensive or just cheap:D

[link]https://64.19.190.52/polks/items.asp?CartId={B25C925F-8914-EVEREST44CC-A6CE-C2357415E8D7}&Cc=RC&ItemMoveby=0&Nbm=PLK13404&Pbm= PLK13001&iTpStatus=0&Tp=&sTitle=&FromNav=False[/link]

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

I bought the tracker III. I was impressed with the price and features, however, I have lost a couple of planes due to uncommanded movements (mostly abrupt elevator, and also aileron) and have lost confidence in thier product. I've since gone on to a 2.4Ghz radio.

Scott

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

Thanks for the reply. Two planes lost due to radio failure, using the same radio[X(] I think I'll stay with my old Futaba Conquest system; while I look over the radio for my next plane.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

Mine works good.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

I have the Tracker II & III. No problems with the II. Haven't used the III but a couple times, no problems yet. I like mine very much and when money is an issue the Tracker has a lot of nice features for the price. I like the ability to be able to change frequencies at the field when needed. And the built in scanner is a great feature that has notified me more than once of spurious signals. I would suggest you go to Polk's forum and look for posts about problems and fixes.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

A guy at my field and I bought several of their receivers because we liked the idea of changing frequencies at the touch of a button. Out of the four we bought between us, every one of them ended up going back to Polk for service do to poor range checks. I got discouraged with them and went back to Futaba synthesized receivers with zero problems. He finally lost a plane do to glitching and has replaced his Polk receivers with a more reliable brand.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

Most members at our club that have them , had probelms with them.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

150flyer, are you using the Tracker Tx with the futaba synthesized receivers or Futaba Tx?. Hearing from you guy's it ain't looking good for Tracker Tx or Rx. I hope they are isolated cases!. I have used my T-II for two seasons without any problems, I know there has been quite a few issues with the T-III, but I thought Polk had solved the problems. I have a couple of planes in the $600.00 t0 $1000.00 range, sure don't want to lose them to radio problems. I can crash them by myself, don't need any help!. Please post more on problems with the Trackers.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

No, I was using a Futaba 9 CAP TX / Synthesized Mod. with the Tracker RX, however, my Futaba TX range checked better with the Tracker RX than another guys Polk TX with my Tracker RX.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

The man that taught me to fly was using one then also. IT shot down 2 other plane with stray signals verified with a Hobbico freqency checker. Transmits on 3 frequencies at once. Went back to Polk 2 times with same results. MY opinion from experience JUNK>

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

Hi I just got back from the field...........I lost yet another plane with the same symptoms.........no in put on all surfaces.
The first one I lost, I thought that the only thing it could have been was the batt. connection. There was nothing wrong with the battery the controls or switch harness.
The second plane (today) had all fresh gear in it Ie: new switch, new 1100 mah batt. Futaba reciever, and I had the radio sent for service check out after the first crash.
Same thing! Slow high split s.........at the bottom..nothing...pullback on elevator nothing.....cut the throtle,nothing.........I even had time to try a wing wiggel with the ailerons nothing.
Plane did hit the ground though. Thats something.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

I got back into the hobby a few years back and decided I needed a new radio. The Tracker III looked like it had the most bang for the buck by a long shot. If that radio had delivered, I would have been very, very happy.

First time I flew a plane with it, the plane made it through the take-off and then crashed straight down into a field full of sheep, (those things move very fast and make some very unnatural noises when an airplane dive bombs them, for info.). I sent it to Polk's, they sent it back and said it was fine. I was not able to get a decent range check on it after the initial one before the flight into the sheep. I kept getting glitching at about 25-30 feet, using their Rx and a Futaba Rx. So, I sent it all back for a refund.

There is a guy at my field that uses a Polk's Tracker III, but he only flies small foam electric airplanes with it.

I have ZERO faith in Polk's radio systems; however, their cheap ESC's seem to do very well.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

You can't put too much stock in that Hobbico frequency checker as a detecter for stray signals. Those lights go on and off all the time on channels that aren't in use. Not to mention, it is not possible for that Tx to transmit on mulitple frequencies at a time, if I'm understanding the technology correctly. Maybe someone with more expertise on this can chime in, but I don't think it is possible, and is at a minimum very unlikely.

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

The only time I have seen airplanes fly away, to never be seen again, it was the same guy using a Tracker. He did it twice in one season. To make matters worse, he scratch builds everything!

RE: Polk's Hobbies radios?
 

We have a guy at our field that has crashed 6 planes due to TRACKER II AND III. He even had to send in his TRANSMITTERS as they were affecting other planes on near channels. So this summer, we basically told him we are tired of his almost near crashes to ourselves and cars, and if you fly TRACKER, fly somewhere else! He went to SPEKTRUM....

All is well!!;);)